My DCS Incident...

[shadragon]

Good post.

One thing I'd point out about hydration, drinking immediately before and after the dive is good but may not be enough. You should make sure that you're taking in enough fluids a good 12 - 24 hourse before diving. Of course, the best is to always be adequately hydrated.

You didn't give all that much information about your actual profile but I wouldn't be so quick to assume that it was ok. After all, you did get bent. It's great that your computer liked it but your body didn't.

Lastly, I'm no doc but I don't think the needle in your arm would have been a problem.

Your observation on 12-24 hours is valid and I ensure I load up on fluids well before a dive and continue after.

I originally posted this on my local SCUBA forum in PDF form with screenshots of my DC download included. I could not post them on the forum here. If you want to see a copy PM me with an email and I can send you the JPG. The read out line was white indicating a normal dive. No red to show rapid ascent. I sent it to DAN along with the raw data as part of their investigation and they said it looked perfectly normal. "Picture perfect" was the quote I remember.

The dive medics told me removing the needle stub was a good idea and that they would have insisted on it being taken out if I had arrived with it still in. I am not doctor either but leaving an air channel directly into your veins is not a good thing I suspect.

 

[timle]

Thanks for posting such a detailed account. This is very valuable for any of us who might have a similar situation arise. Glad you made a speedy recovery.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Your observation on 12-24 hours is valid and I ensure I load up on fluids well before a dive and continue after.

I originally posted this on my local SCUBA forum in PDF form with screenshots of my DC download included. I could not post them on the forum here. If you want to see a copy PM me with an email and I can send you the JPG. The read out line was white indicating a normal dive. No red to show rapid ascent. I sent it to DAN along with the raw data as part of their investigation and they said it looked perfectly normal. "Picture perfect" was the quote I remember.

My point is that regardless of whether your computer or DAN was happy with the profile, your body wasn't. Something wasn't normal because normally we can go diving without getting bent.

The dive medics told me removing the needle stub was a good idea and that they would have insisted on it being taken out if I had arrived with it still in. I am not doctor either but leaving an air channel directly into your veins is not a good thing I suspect.

It's not a very important point to the discussion but it kind of peaked my interest. My thinking is this...The needle was probably in a vein, first off. Second, the pressure inside your body should be about equal to pressure outside (not taking venus pressure into account), so there should be no air flow through the needle. I think that in order to cause air to flow through the needle you would have to raise the pressure at the end of the needle above ambient...like if you blew on the end of it. Also, if no blood wasn't flowing out of the needle then there must be some saurface tension or something preventing it which would also impede air flow. Maybe I'm missing something someplace but if the needle would be a problem, any open wound should pose the same risk...note though, that blood normally flows out of wounds rather than air flowing in.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Great account of what happened. May I print this out and give it to my students? Our next lecture is about the indirect effects of pressure (DCS, narcosis, etc.) and I think this would be great reading for them.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Warren_L]

It may also be worthwhile to get tested for PFO. I know of another avid diver who was getting bent while doing conservative profiles and eventually tested positive for PFO. She had it corrected and now all is fine.

 

[Jeremy Bouwman]

It goes to show how little things like dehydration, even if we can't tell that we are, can lead to serious problems. Gatorade folks, gatorade.

 

[johnny_bravo]

I'm glad everything worked out for you. Thanks for sharing your posts were informative and easy to read.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[shadragon]

Great account of what happened. May I print this out and give it to my students? Our next lecture is about the indirect effects of pressure (DCS, narcosis, etc.) and I think this would be great reading for them.
Ber :lilbunny:

Anyone may reproduce this account as long as it is not changed or any money is charged for it. I originally wrote this to educate and help people in my local dive club and it has since been spread across North America, NZ, South America and Europe. If you know of anyone who can benefit from it then please forward it to them.

 

[TSandM]

I agree with Mike about the hep lock (needle stub). Since your body equilibrates with ambient pressure, there would be no driving force to cause an air embolism.

Did you get PFO tested after this? A significant hit with such a benign profile would certainly make me do that.

 

[LindaBluedolphin]

Anyone may reproduce this account as long as it is not changed or any money is charged for it. I originally wrote this to educate and help people in my local dive club and it has since been spread across North America, NZ, South America and Europe. If you know of anyone who can benefit from it then please forward it to them.

Thanks for sharing, glad you are okay now.

Might I suggest you send it to DAN, they might publish it. A friend of mine had an account of one of her experiences published a few years back.